Global Childhood Obesity Is Expected to Rise Sharply by 2040
The 2026 World Obesity Atlas highlights the accelerating pace of weight gain among young people, cautioning that the issue is intensifying across regions. “Childhood obesity is rising at an unprecedented rate,” it says, noting that the trend is becoming a major global public health issue.
Data in the report indicate that obesity rates among children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 are projected to grow significantly, with global prevalence anticipated to rise from 8.7% in 2025 to 11.9% by 2040. Analysts describe this development as a substantial transformation in worldwide dietary and nutritional patterns.
The study further predicts a historic milestone between 2025 and 2027, when the number of school-aged children classified as obese is expected to exceed the number of those who are underweight on a global scale for the first time.
Since 2010, more than 180 nations have recorded increases in the rates of overweight and obesity among children. “Childhood obesity is no longer confined to high-income settings; it is a global social and economic development challenge,” the report emphasizes.
The burden is particularly concentrated in heavily populated nations. Estimates suggest that countries such as China, India, and the United States together account for tens of millions of young people living with obesity. Additionally, more than 200 million children with elevated body mass index (BMI) are located in just ten countries worldwide.
Researchers caution that if current trends persist, the expanding prevalence of childhood obesity will place mounting pressure on healthcare systems globally, creating lasting public health and economic repercussions.
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